VANCOUVER — The commissioner overseeing the Robert Pickton inquiry has received a four-month extension to produce his final report, but the hearings will end as scheduled next week.

Commissioner Wally Oppal has been looking into why police failed to catch Pickton earlier than his arrest in February 2002, but a series of delays have made it increasingly unlikely he would finish his work by June 30.

Attorney General Shirley Bond has given Oppal a four-month extension and is now asking that his final report be finished by Oct 31.

But Bond says Oppal, who opened the inquiry last October, did not ask for any additional time to hear evidence.

She says Oppal has been given adequate time to conduct his work and she’s confident he’ll be able to fulfil his mandate.

A number of families of Pickton’s victims, their lawyer and the Opposition NDP have demanded Bond give Oppal more time, saying there are several witnesses that have yet to be heard that are important to understanding why police failed to catch Pickton.